


Service... Mabari?

by JubileeMarie



Series: Inquisitor Kate [2]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Anxiety, Asperger Syndrome, Autistic Character, Depression, Modern Girl in Thedas, Service Animals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-19
Updated: 2018-08-19
Packaged: 2019-06-29 19:31:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15735924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JubileeMarie/pseuds/JubileeMarie
Summary: After being in Thedas for some time Kate brings up Service animals to her advisors and receives the best gift she's ever gotten.





	Service... Mabari?

I've been in Thedas for a few months now and despite getting used to how things worked here my disabilities prevented me from preforming up to par with what the inquisition needed from me so at a meeting in the War Room one day I had brought up an idea to my advisors; a service dog.

"A service dog? You mean like a war Mabari?" Cullen had asked from his position across the table which prompted me to shake my head.

"No, no... Back home people with disabilities... Like me. Who can't do things that others can, or who can't function normally sometimes put themselves on a waiting list for a specially trained dog to aid them in day to day life. It depends on the person's disability as to what the dog is trained for. An example would be for someone who has epilepsy that the dog would be trained to detect and alert to the seasure before the person had one so they could lay down or sit so they don't fall to the ground and get hurt." I explained, not thinking about how they didn't have an understanding of some of the things I was saying.

"Epilepsy? Seasures?" Cullen questioned, quirking an eyebrow at me.

"Erm... Sometimes someone will fall over and convulse... uh shake violently, without warning. That's epilepsy, a seasure is when they shake. Sometimes its subtle like only their eyes shake but sometimes they fall over. That's not really what I need though. I have something called Asperger Syndrome and I also have Depression and Anxiety..." I replied, rubbing the back of my head and sighing.

"Can you explain to us what it is these conditions you have are, Mi Amor? If we understand what it is you are going through perhaps we can better help." Josephine asked, a soft and reassuring smile on her face.

"Well... my type of Depression isn't like feeling depressed... Though that's part of it. Somedays I can't get out of bed, some days I break down in tears, or don't have the energy or strength to speak to anyone or even clean and dress myself... It's a chemical imbalance in my brain. It was being treated back home fairly well but you don't have any medicine here that can treat it and I don't know much about drugs and such to tell you how an alchemist could make any." I explained, sitting on a chair in the corner of the room and taking a deep breath as I rest my arms on my knees.

"That is why there are days that my agents tell me you do not leave your cabin, no?" Lelilana spoke now.

"Yes, thats why... Anxiety for me is also not quite like just feeling anxious. There are some things that set mine off more than others. I hyperventalate and my heart races and i feel the world closing in around me and even break into uncontrolled tears. Those are called Anxiety or Panic attacks. Typically that happens when I'm around too many people or theres really loud noises... if I'm touched without permission by someone I don't trust or know." I looked at my feet now, ashamed that these people were stuck with me as the person who needed to save them...

"I have seen you in that state. With Mother Giselle when she placed her hand on your shoulder... I had wondered what that was about... You wouldn't allow any of us near you after." Cassandra commented

"Sorry you had to see that, Cassandra... You shouldn't have to deal with that. As for the last part of what's wrong with me..." I said, pausing a moment to think about how to explain. "Asperger's syndrome means that my brain, my mind, doesn't work like an average person. The way I percive the world and how I act are affected. Certain textures of fabrics cause pain when they touch my skin even if to you all they would feel nice, soft even. I hyperfocus on certain subjects and learn all I can about them but things I don't like make me upset and I need to avoid them. I can't deal with social cues well either. Sarcasm and jokes can go right over my head if I'm not paying attention carefully... Facial expressions are hard to understand as are tones in someone's voice, so I take things the wrong way sometimes. I don't take directions well either... I need routine and repetition to remain stable and change is hard for me." I said, wrapping my arms around myself for comfort. I had always hated that I was this way... Different.

"That will pose problems with any nobles you encounter however that is part of why I am here." Josephine commented.

"And you want a trained dog to do what exactly?" Cullen asked

"Well for me it needs to block people from getting too close when I don't know them, It needs to guide me away from a situation that is going to cause a Panic Attack and get someone if I'm already having one. It also needs to be trained to remind me when to do self care tasks like brushing my teeth and cleaning myself. I had been working to get a service dog back home but there's huge waiting lists and they cost a lot of money." I explained, looking up as Leliana, much to my surprise put a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"Perhaps we could contact a Mabari breeder and see if we can get a pup to imprint on you. They are brilliant animals and would fit your particular needs perfectly." Cullen suggested.

"I'd like that, and it would be a huge help to make sure I can do the jobs you need me to do to save the world... And Fereldens trust people with Mabari so it would garner a lot more Fereldan support for the Inquisiton if I had one beside me." I said with a smile which caused Josephine's face to light up.

"You are quite right, Mi Amore! I shall contact a breeder at once and see about getting a pup for you. If it will benifit you as much as you say having a Mabari beside you would be perfect." She chimed.

"Then we are all in agreement. The Harold will have a Mabari to assist her in daily life and in the field?" Leliana said

"She is a decent archer but she has a long way to go, having a Mabari war dog to protect her in the field when I, Myself, Solas, or Varric cannot would be of great help." Cassandra said.

"I certainly wouldn't mind having a Mabari around Haven." Cullen chuckled.

That seemed to be that and the meeting was adjourned as everyone left the war room and returned to their usual duties.

A few weeks past and Josephine had sent someone to my Cabin to fetch me as she was apparently excited about something and needed me immediately. When I entered her office She stood and came to my side and Hugged me gently, a letter in her hand. "I have recieved a reply from a Mabari Breeder about your request for a pup. Unfortunately they had no Pups but they have an older dog who's not imprinted on anyone and they have sent it to haven. Cullen is waiting with it outside the gates and... I have a gift for you." She told me with a smile

"And telling me I now have a Mabari isn't enough of a gift, Josie?" I chuckled

"I know that you Like Halla and I had spoke to a leatherworker back in Antiva and had them make a collar for your dog." She said, pulling out a hand tooled Antivan leather Mabari collar with a Nephrite gem embedded in it and two prancing Halla in the leather.

"Josie, you shouldn't have! Please tell me you didn't spend a fortune on this." I looked between her and the collar.

"Oh they were quite happy to provide this at a discount, as it was for the Mabari of the Oracle of Andraste. Quite the good publicity for their work I'm sure." she returned, holding the collar out to me.

"Thanks, Josie. It's beautiful and I'm sure the Mabari will love it just as much as I do. After all we can't have it in some shabby collar can we?" I winked.

"Go, go! I can practically feel the excitement comming of you, Mi Amore." She said, all but pushing me out the door of her office.

I laughed as I exited the chantry and made my way to the main gate, collar in hand and a smile on my face. When I stepped out I saw Cullen talking to the dog who seemed rather interested in the conversation until it heard my footsteps. "Your worship, I've been keeping your dog company while we waited for you." Cullen said.

The dog sat tall with short upturned ears atop it's head. It had a silver-blue coat with snow white patching on it's chest and neck and a blue nose. It's eyes looked as blue as the sky above... Or as the sky would be were it not for the breach. It was the most beautiful dog I'd ever seen, and it reminded me a bit of my favorite dog breed back home; Pittbulls. It walked over to me, sniffed me and sat at my feet as it looked at me and then barked.

"Hey there, handsome. You're just a hunkey boy, aren't you?" I said, squatting to be level with the hound.

It barked, tail wagging as it put it's forhead against mine.

"Like me, huh? I'm glad. I'm gonna need a lot of help from you... But I have a presant for you!" I said, pulling the collar from my pocket and showing the dog.

It's tail wagged faster and it barked happily upon seeing the accessory.

"Glad you like it." I said, putting the leather strip around it's muscular neck with a smile. "You look very handsome... Valentine."


End file.
